/; 


BISHOP    RAVENSCROFT.  aX 

>i|  U) ;  Lua*^  ^ffc^ca^  y. tin  1L  ^  1^   / 

It  is  now  just  forty  years  since  the  first  Bishop  of  North  Caro-  j 
lina  ended  his  brief  Episcopate  in  death.  .  T 

Elected  in  1823,  and  consecrated  the  same  year,  he  entered  im-  , 
mediately  upon  his  High  Pastoral  office,  and  with  a  success  which,    J 
alas  for  the  Church  !  was  of  scarcely  seven  years'  duration.     His  ^J 
course  was  like  that  of  the  meteor,  suddenly — appearing,  bright,  % 

and  soon  ending  in  darkness ;  but  still  more  resembled  that  of  the 
sun  which  sets  not  until  it  has  first  given  warmth  and  fruitfulness 
to  the  earth. 

The  "Memoir"  of  Bishop  Ravenscroft,  prefixed  to  his  two  vol- 
umes of  sermons,  though  written  by  one  of  the  most  finished 
scholars  of  the  South,*  was  necessarily  imperfect,  from  the  want 
of  those  many  little  details  and  private  marks  of  character  which 
more  than  the  most  labored  biography  serve  to  individualize  the 
man.  It  is  proposed,  in  this  sketch,  by  one,  who  more  than  any 
other  of  his  clergy  was  admitted  to  his  confidence,  not  to  say  af- 
fection, to  set  forth  that  great  and  good  Bishop  just  as  he  was,  or 
as  he  appeared  to  the  writer's  view,  during  an  intimacy  commenc- 
ing previous  to  his  consecration  and  ending  only  at  the  side  of  his 
death-bed. 

The  name  "  Ravenscroft"  is  undoubtedly  of  German  origin.  On 
a  visit  to  a  colony  of  that  people  in  the  valley  of  Virginia,  soon 
after  he  took  orders,  he  was  told  by  one  of  their  patriarchal  men 
that  he  did  not  spell  his  name  rightly;  that  it  should  be  Ravens- 
crofcft. 

Of  the  Bishop's  parents  but  little  is  known.  He  is  said  to  have  borne 
a  strong  resemblance  to  his  mother,  in  feature,  as  well  as  in  the  char- 
acter of  his  mind.  His  birth  (in  1776)  was  in  the  southern  portion 
of  the  city  of  Petersburg,  Va.,  for  a  long  time,  if  no.t  now,  known  by 
the  name  of  "  Ravenscroft,"  and  once  the  property  of  the  family. 
When  he  was  but  a  few  months  old  his  father,  in  order  to  avoid 
the  political  convulsions  then  threatening  the  country,  moved  back 


*  The  late  Hon.  Walher  Anderson,  Chief  Justice  of  Florida. 


2  Bishop  Raven  scr oft. 

to  his  former  residence  in  the  south  of  Scotland,  and  soon  after- 
wards died.  Very  little  is  known  of  the  son's  boyhood,  except 
that  he  lived  for  some  time  with  an  old  aunt  while  attending:  an 
excellent  classical  school  in  Northumberland.  It  was  while  at 
this  school,  and  in  the  twelfth  year  of  his  age,  that  he  was  the 
subject  of  one  of  those  strange  appearances  which  can  be  as  little 
questioned  as  accounted  for.  He  was  playing  marbles,  with  his 
school-fellows,  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  at  the  side  of  a  hedge. 
In  the  midst  of  the  game  he  distinctly  saw  his  aunt  walking 
towards  him  on  the  top  of  the  hedge.  After  approaching  very  near 
to  him  she  suddenly  disappeared.  Before  he  could  recover  from  his 
wonder  and  alarm  a  servant  of  the  family  rode  hastily  up  to  inform 
him  that  his  aunt,  whom  he  supposed  to  be  in  perfect  health,  had 
suddenly  died.  This  story  the  writer  received  from  the  Bishop's 
own  lips.  Another  incident  of  his  boyhood  is  not  without  interest, 
inasmuch  as  it  illustrates  that  Providence  which  so  kindly  preserves 
our  childhood  amid  dangers  both  seen  and  unseen.  He  was  in  his 
ninth  year,  and  playing  in  front  of  his  mother's  dwelling,  when  a 
large  bull  suddenly  broke  into  the  yard  and  ran  after  him.  Be- 
fore he  could  reach  the  house  the  furious  creature  overtook  him, 
and  getting  him  between  his  horns  endeavored  to  gore  him  first 
with  one,  then  with  the  other,  until  the  screams  of  the  child 
brought  the  servants  to  his  relief.  He  added  that  the  prints  of 
those  horns  were  distinctly  visible  on  the  side  of  the  house  when 
he  left  Scotland  eight  years  afterward. 

On  returning  to  this  country  to  look  after  his  large  estate,  he 
entered  "William  and  Mary  College;"  but  before  his  gradua- 
tion he  was  enticed  from  his  books  by  the  charms  of  a  lady 
whom  he  soon  after  married,  and  of  whom  he  always  spoke  in 
terms  of  the  warmest  affection,  and  of  the  highest  admiration  for 
her  piety  and  many  virtues.  Being  the  possessor  of  a  large  for- 
tune and  of  a  commanding  intellect,  he  soon  became  a  leading 
spirit  in  all  the  active  sports  and  public  amusements  which  occu- 
pied so  much  of  the  life  of  the  more  wealthy  and  aristocratic  sons 
of  Virginia  at  that  day.  Few  were  more  conspicuous  than  he  on 
the  race-course,  at  the  card-table,  or  around  the  cock-pit.  And 
he  once  confessed  to  the  writer,  with  a  heavy  sigh,  that  he  had 
one  day  gone  upon  the  race-field  prepared  to  horse-whip  and,  if 
resisted,  to  shoot  down  a  fellow-sportsman;  a  man  who  afterwards 


Bishop  Ravenscroft.  3 

became  a  distinguished  citizen  of  another  State.  By  the  ordering 
of  a  kind  Providence  his  intended  victim  was  that  day  absent  from 
his  usual  place,  a  thing  observed  by  all,  and  never  accounted  for. 
It  was  not  from  any  sense  of  fear,  for  that  man  was  as  insensible 
to  such  a  feeling  as  Mr.  Ravenscroft  himself,  who  could  see  in  it 
nothing  but  the  preserving  and  restraining  hand  of  God,  extended 
in  mercy  to  his  soul.  But  the  worst  practice  to  which  he,  with  his 
godless  companions,  was  addicted,  was  that  of  profane  swearing. 
In  speaking  of  this,  after  he  became  a  Bishop,  a  lady  of  Peters- 
burg, whose  doors  were  ever  open  to  him,  remaiked  to  the  writer 
that,  although  at  that  day  oaths  were  in  every  gentleman's  mouth, 
in  the  parlor  as  well  as  in  the  street,  yet  when  Mr.  Ravenscroft 
swore  she  "trembled." 

It  is  with  anything  but  pleasure  that  these  sins  of  his  early  life 
are  brought  to  view.  Much  as  they  may  shock  the  pious  and  sensi- 
tive mind  of  the  present  day,  to  no  one  could  the  thought  of  them 
bring  more  pain  than  to  himself.  The  writer  well  remembers,  on  first 
visiting  him,  and  alluding  to  his  great  change  of  life,  how  his  deep- 
toned  voice  trembled  with  emotion  as  he  said:  "  Forty  years,  sir, 
was  I  an  outrageous  and  outbreaking  sinner  ;  and  it  is  only  by  the 
grace  of  God  that  I  am  what  I  am." 

But  painful  as  it  may  be  to  think  of  those  misspent  and  God- 
defying  years,  it  is  wonderful  to  see  how  out  of  such  a  course  of 
sin  there  could  be  anything  extracted  that  might  give  increased 
power  to  his  future  ministry.  But  this  he  freely  acknowledged 
one  day,  in  the  following  manner  to  one  of  his  clergy  : 

"Brother  G.,  I  have  one  great  advantage  over  you."  The  an- 
swer was,  "Not  one  only,  Bishop,  but  a  good  many." 

"Pshaw  !  110  compliments.  I  mean  this,  that  whereas  you  were 
brought  up  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  in  ignorance  of  the  great 
wickedness  that  is  going  on  in  the  world,  I  know  all  about  the 
sinner's  ways,  and  can  therefore  track  the  scoundrels  into  all  their 
dens  and  hiding-places,  and  strip  them  of  their  self-deceits  and 
refuses  of  lies." 

When  asked  how  his  thoughts  were  first  turned  to  the  subject  of 
religion,  he  answered  that,  under  God,  he  owed  it  to  his  excellent 
wife.  When,  after  many  weeks  of  inexcusable  absence,  he  would 
return  home,  she  would  invariably  meet  him  in  a  gentle  and  lovely 
spirit,  and  make  no  allusion  whatever  to  his  neglect  of  her,  or  to  the 


4  Bishop  Ravenscroft. 

manner  in  which  his  time  had  been  spent.  This  truly  Christian 
forbearance  and  sweetness  of  temper,  exhibited  again  and  again, 
led  him,  at  length,  to  ask  himself,  "  What  can  be  the  cause  ?  Why 
does  not  the  woman  reproach  and  revile  me,  as  I  deserve?  This 
is  not  natural.  Where  does  it  come  from?"  In  this  way  he  for 
some  time  vainly  questioned  with  himself,  while,  his  proud  spirit 
was  unwilling  to  seek  the  solution  from  her  own  lips.  He  re- 
membered, however,  that  her  daily  companion  was  her  Bible,  and 
that  he  had  often  surprised  her  in  reading  it,  when  he  supposed 
her  to  be  otherwise  engaged.  Thinking  that  he  might  there  find 
the  wonder  explained,  he  resolved  to  become  himself  a  reader  of 
the  Scriptures.  In  that  divine  mirror  he  soon  saw  what  a  sinner 
he  was,  and  that  his  only  hope  for  pardon  and  salvation  lay  in  a 
thorough  and  speedy  change  of  life.  Under  this  imperfect  view  of 
his  case  he  resolved  that  he  would,  as  he  expressed  it,  "try  to  be- 
come a  better  man,  by  breaking  off  first  one  sin,  and  then  another, 
until  he  had  made  himself  a  good  Christian."  Here  the  writer 
will  use  his  own  words,  as  well  as  he  can  recall  them;  and  he  must 
say  that  they  are,  and  ever  will  be;  deeply  engraved  on  his  memory: 

"  Knowing  that  profane  swearing  was  my  besetting  sin  I  determined  to 
take  the  bull  by  the  horns,  and  master  that  first.  Accordingly,  by  great  effort, 
I  kept  myself  from  it,  first  for  a  day  or  two,  then  for  a  week  or  more,  and  at 
length  for  full  three  weeks.  By  this  time  I  began  to  think  of  taking  up 
another  sin,  and  in  like  manner,  putting  it  under  foot,  when  one  day,  being 
absent  from  home,  under  some  slight  provocation,  my  old  habit  returned 
upon  me  with  a  pent-up  force,  and  my  oaths  were  shocking  even  to  myself. 
Never,  in  my  life,  was  my  pride  more  humbled  and  my  weakness  so  plainly 
set  before  me.  In  deep  mortification  of  spirit  I  hastened  home,  and,  with- 
out even  speaking  to  my  wife,  shut  myself  within  my  library,  and  threw 
myself  upon  my  face  on  the  bed,  in  an  agony  of  contending  feelings  that 
words  cannot  describe." 

Here  he  seemed  disposed  to  stop,  but  being  urged  to  go  on, 
added : 

"  What  passed  in  that  hour  I  cannot  tell  you,  my  good  brother,  or  any 
other  man ;  but  this  I  will  say,  that  before  I  left  that  bed  God  was  pleased, 
of  his  abounding  mercy,  to  reveal  me  to  myself,  to  show  me  that  I  had  been 
standing  upon  the  foundation  of  my  own  strength,  and  with  my  own  arm 
beating  down  my  sins;  to  convince  me  what  a  vain  work  it  was,  and  to  point 
me  to  the  true  and  only  source  of  salvation  from  the  guilt  as  well  as  the 
power  of  my  sins.  From  that  hour  no  oath  has  ever  passed  these  lips,  nor 
have  I  felt  the  least  temptation  to  swear." 


Bishoj?  Ravenscroft.  0 

Upon  being  asked  why  he  was  so  unwilling  to  disclose  what 
had  passed  within  that  hour,  he  said  that  what  is  called  the  "  re- 
ligious experience"  of  believers  is  so  widely  different  that  it  is 
unsafe  to  make  one  the  test  of  another  ;  and  that,  occasionally, 
there  is,  at  the  turning  point  of  a  man's  religious  convictions, 
something  so  marked  and  out  of  the  common  track,  as  to  make  it 
unwise  and  even  dangerous  to  publish  it,  lest  others  should  look 
for  the  same  in  their  struggles  to  renounce  the  world,  and  turn  to 
God. 

Soon  after  his  change  of  life  became  known,  it  was  widely  re- 
ported that  his  conversion  was  brought  about  by  the  over-heard 
prayers  of  an  old  negro  servant  whom  he  had  just  cruelly  chas- 
tised. There  was,  of  course,  not  a  word  of  truth  in  this  sensa- 
tional story ;  but  it  was  nevertheless  extensively  circulated,  and 
believed  at  the  time,  although  it  was  well  known  to  his  neighbors 
and  friends  that  he  treated  his  servants  with  almost  a  criminal  in- 
dulgence. 

His  residence  in  Mecklenburg  County  being  remote  from  any 
settled  place  of  worship,  he  was  thankful  for  the  occasional  visits 
to  the  neighborhood  of  a  worthy  Minister  of  the  Reformed  Metho- 
dist denomination,  and  even  accompanied  him  through  several  of 
his  appointments,  helping  him  with  an  occasional  exhortation  or 
prayer.  Whilst  thus  zealously  engaged,  it  pleased  God  to  incline 
him  to  devote  himself  wholly  to  the  work  of  the  Ministry.  But 
where  should  he  go  ?  The  number  of  conflicting  sects  around  him 
was  almost  as  great  as  at  the  present  day,  each  claiming  to  preach 
a  purer  Gospel  than  the  rest,  and  all  striving  to  get  liim  into  their 
ranks.  Of  the  One  Apostolic  Church  of  Christ  little  indeed  was 
then  known  in  Virginia.  He  had,  while  at  "  William  and  Mary," 
and  during  his  subsequent  married  life,  learned  something  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church ;  but,  alas  !  he  had  learned,  only  to 
despise  it.  This  was  doubtless  owing,  in  part,  to  his  early  Scotch- 
Presbyterian  training  :  but  mainly  to  the  worldly,  not  to  say  god- 
less, lives  of  many  both  of  the  clergy  and  laity  of  that  Church 
whom  he  saw  around  him.  It  is  well  known  that  at  the  beginning 
of  the  present  century  that  Church  was  at  the  lowest  point  of  de- 
pression. It  had  yet  to  show  its  true  character  in  the  lives  and 
labors  of  such  men  as  Bishops  Moore  and  Meade  and  the  saintly 
Nicholas  Cobbs.     When  Mr.   Ravenscroft,  therefore,  resolved  to 


6  Bishop  Ravenscroft. 

search  out  for  himself  an  altar  at  which  he  might  serve,  it  was 
with  a  truly  honest  mind,  and  with  a  firm  determination  to  follow 
wherever  his  convictions  might  lead  him;  but,  as  he  confessed  to 
the  writer,  he  had  a  lingering  prejudice  against  the  Episcopal 
Church,  and  a  kind  of  presentiment  that  any  other  would  be 
that  of  his  choice.  With  the  Bible  as  his  chief  guide  he  came  out 
nevertheless  from  that  examination,  to  use  his  own  words,  "  as 
thorough  a  Churchman"  as  ever  he  was  afterwards;  viz.,  as  firmly 
rooted  in  catholic  principles,  although  not  so  able  to  defend 
them.  When  asked  in  what  parts  of  the  Bible  he  saw  most  plainly 
the  distinguishing  features  of  that  Church,  he  answered  promptly : 
"Everywhere,  but  especially  in  the  Epistles  to  Timothy  and 
Titus." 

After  receiving  both  Deacon's  and  Priest's  Orders  at  the  hands 
of  Bishop  Moore,  he.  preached  at  several  small  places  within  the 
county,  and  built,  principally,  with  his  own  means,  a  plain  church 
about  three  miles  distant  from  his  residence.  In  this  humble 
sphere  he  continued  to  serve  for  some  years,  though  sought  after 
by  several  parishes,  and  invited  by  Bishop  Moore  to  become  his 
assistant  in  the  Monumental  Church  in  Richmond. 

While  thus  content  to  labor  in  one  of  the  obscurest  corners  of 
his  Master's  vineyard  he  was  unexpectedly  called  to  the  chief 
pastorship  of  the  young  but  important  Diocese  of  North  Carolina. 

When  the  Convention  of  that  Diocese  met  in  Salisbury,  in 
April,  1823,  to  elect  their  first  Bishop,  the  minds  of  very  few, 
either  of  clergy  or  laity,  were  centred  upon  any  one  individual. 
That  truly  godly  man,  the  Rev.  Adam  Empie  D.  D.,  of  St.  James' 
Church,  Wilmington,  was,  in  a  good  measure,  the  favorite  of  the 
clergy,  but  not  sufficiently  so  of  the  laity.  When,  as  President  of 
the  Convention,  he  announced  that  the  moment  had  come  for 
entering  into  the  election,  there  was  a  pause  of  some  length,  and 
the  eyes  of  several  of  both  clergy  and  laity  were  turned  on  the 
writer,  then  the  youngest  of  the  clergy,  as  if  expecting  him  to 
make  a  nomination.  Having  been  a  pupil  of  the  good  President, 
and  allied  to  him  also  by  family  ties,  it  was  truly  painful  to 
him  to  pass  by  his  many  claims  and  propose  the  name  of  another. 
That  youthful  clergyman  had  never  before  spoken  in  Convention, 
and  was,  therefore,  startled  at  the  sound  of  his  own  voice  as 
he  mustered   courage  enough  to  nominate  the  Rev.  John  Stark 


Bishop  liavenswoft.  7 

Ravenscroft  of  the  Diocese  of  Virginia.  The  inquiry  soon 
arose  on  all  sides,  "  Who  is  Mr.  Ravenscroft  ?"  It  was  ascer- 
tained that  not  six  members  of  that  Convention  had  ever  heard  of 
him ;  two  only  had  once  seen  him  ;  and  one  of  those  two  had 
heard  him  preach;  and  yet,  after  a  few  stammering  words  from 
the  nominator,  he  received  the  unanimous  vote  of  the  Convention. 
This  detail,  however  needless  it  may  appear  to  some,  will  be  re- 
garded by  others  as  one  of  those  unlooked-for  orderings  of  Provi- 
dence out  of  which  have  grown,  and  are  daily  growing,  some  of 
the  richest  blessings  of  the  Church. 

The  scene  which  occurred  at  the  moment  when  the  election  of 
Mr.  Ravenscroft  was  announced  to  him  has  elsewhere  been  de- 
scribed by  the  writer,  but  may  well  bear  to  be  repeated  in  this 
sketch,  intended,  as  it  is,  to  portray  some  of  the  more  peculiar 
features  of  his  character. 

To  the  same  young  Brother  who  had  the  honor  of  nominating 
him  was  allowed  the  gratification  of  informing  him  of  his  election. 
The  account  of  it  may  best  be  given,  as  at  first,  in  his  own 
words : 

"When  I  rode  up  to  his  humble  dwelling  he  met  me,  as  usual,  with  both 
hands  extended,  saying,  '  Why,  brother  G-,  what  has  brought  you  here?' 
To  this  I  answered,  in  the  same  vein,  that  it  was  not  usual  for  one  gentle- 
man to  ask  another  what  had  brought  him  to  his  house.  '  Well,  well,'  he 
said,  '  come  in,  come  in,  my  wife  has  a  nice  cup  of  tea  for  you.'  When  tea 
was  over,  he  drew  his  chair  close  to  mine,  and  laying  his  hand  on  my  knee, 
said,  'But,  come,  tell  me,  what  brings  this  God-send  of  a  visit  to  me?' 
Without  replying,  I  placed  in  his  hands  the  certificate  of  his  election  and 
watched  his  countenance  as  he  read  it  with  an  incredulous  and  startled  look. 
When  at  length  he  fully  comprehended  its  purport,  he  dropped  it  in  his 
lap  with  a  deep  groan.  His  wife  started  at  the  sound,  looking  painfully  at 
me  to  know  what  was  the  matter.  With  a  smile  and  a  gentle  motion  of  my 
hand  I  quieted  her  fears,  and  requested  her  to  say  nothing.  After  a  few 
moments  of  impressive  silence  he  arose  and  paced  the  room  several  times, 
groaning  at  every  turn,  as  if  some  heavy  calamity  had  befallen  him.  At 
length,  approaching  his  wife,  he  laid  the  letter  in  her  lap,  and  retired  to  the 
darkness  and  solitude  of  his  study; — solitude,  so  far  as  any  human  presence 
was  concerned,  but  in  manifest  intercourse  with  Him  who  alone  can  direct 
and  rule  the  heart.  After  the  absence  of  a  half  hour  he  returned  with  a 
composed  countenance,  and  standing  before  me,  said:  'Brother  G.,  God's 
hand  is  in  this  thing;  I  dare  not  resist  it'  The  next  day  I  bore  his  letter 
of  acceptance  to  a  rejoicing  Diocese." 


8  .  Bishop  Ravenscroft. 

How  unlike  was  this  to  the  conduct  of  some  clergymen  who  am- 
bitiously court  the  distinction  of  the  Episcopal  Office,  and  of 
others  who  as  inexcusably  shrink  from  its  responsibility,  though 
called  to  it  by  the  unsought  suffrage  of  their  brethren. 

In  the  fall  of  that  year  he  made  his  first  visitation  of  the 
Diocese,  attracting  many  by  the  affability  of  his  manner,  others 
by  his  power  in  the  desk  and  the  pulpit,  and  rejoicing  the  heart  of 
every  Churchman  at  seeing  how  graciously  God  had  provided  for 
their  spiritual  need.  Alas,  that  these  visitations  should  have  been 
so  few  !  Six  times  did  he  pass  through  his  Diocese,  from  moun- 
tain to  sea-board,  in  all  weathers,  and  over  the  roughest  roads. 
"When  the  opening  of  the  seventh  spring  invited  him  to  a  renewal 
of  his  labors  it  found  him  upon  his  last  bed.  For  three  years  his 
health  had  been  gradually  giving  way,  and  on  the  5th  of  March, 
1830,  he  slept  in  death,  in  the  city  of  Raleigh,  under  the  roof  of 
a  friend  *  who  had  been  to  him  even  as  a  son  and  a  brother. 

In  person  Bishop  Ravenscroft  was  of  a  commanding  figure,  so 
much  so  as  to  attract  attention  wherever  he  moved.  In  answer  to 
the  question  sometimes  asked  him  as  to  his  height,  his  reply  was, 
"I  am  just  six  feet  in  my  stockings."  To  this  noble  stature 
were  added  limbs  finely  rounded  and  well  proportioned,  with  not 
an  ounce  of  superfluous  flesh  upon  them.  From  what  is  told  us  of 
Washington  they  might  have  been  cast  in  the  same  mould,  both 
physically  and  as  regards  many  traits  of  mind  and  manner  also. 
His  voice  was  deep  and  solemn,  and  when  excited,  like  the  roar  of 
a  lion.  There  are  some  now  living  who  can  remember  how,  in 
answer  to  the  questions  put  to  him  at  the  time  of  his  consecration 
in  St.  Paul's  Church,  Philadelphia,  his  deep-toned  voice  seemed 
to  shake  those  venerable  walls,  and  to  impress  the  congregation 
with  an  almost  painful  awe.  His  head  was  small  in  proportion -to 
his  general  size,  with  a  rather  narrow  forehead,  high  cheek-bones, 
and  a  projecting  brow.  His  eyebrows,  which  he  himself  called  his 
"dormer  windows,"  were  so  large  and  prominent  as  completely  to 
shade  the  eyes,  and  give  them  the  appearance  of  being  of  a  dark 
color,  when,  in  reality,  they  were  a  greyish  blue,  and  quite  inex- 
pressive, if  not  dull,  when  their  possessor  was  silent ;  but  kindling 
with  the  lightning's  flash  when  accompanying  the  roar  of  his  voice. 


*  Gavin  Hogg. 


Bishop  Ravenscroft.  9 

In  dress  he  was  simple,  plain,  and  unvarying.  Its  general  style 
was  that  of  a  well-born  English  gentleman  of  a  century  ago. 
Nothing  could  have  induced  him  to  wear  the  modern  pantaloon. 
Aquaker-likecoat,  and  knee-breeches,  with  boots  and  worsted  stock- 
ings in  the  winter,  and  shoes  and  silk  stockings  in  warm  weather  con- 
stituted his  daily  and  uniform  apparel.  His  gait  was  firm, 
measured,  and  it  might  almost  be  said,  majestic,  and  as  such  truly 
indicative  of  his  character.  On  all  occasions  he  seemed  to  bear 
himself  with  such  unusual  dignity  that  he  could  scarcely  cross  a 
room  without  drawing  all  eyes  upon  him.  The  year  before  his 
death  the  writer  was  with  him  at  the  General  Convention  in  Phila- 
delphia, and  being  desirous  of  obtaining  a  good  likeness  of  him, 
took  him  to  the  studios  of  several  of  the  most  approved  portrait 
painters,  by  way  of  selecting  the  mo§t  skillful.  At  each  place 
his  striking  face  and  commanding  mien  so  attracted  the  interest 
of  the  several  artists  and  excited  such  an  unusual  desire  to  try 
their  pencils  upon  him,  that  one  of  them  approached  the  writer 
as  he  was  leaving  the  room  and  whispered,  "I  will  take  your 
friend  for  nothing;  lam  so  struck  with  his  appearance."  The 
choice,  however,  fell  upon  one  (Eichholtz)  who  was  said  to  be  self- 
taught,  but  true  to  nature.  The  portrait  which  he  painted  was 
indeed  a  faultless  likeness,  and  now  adorns  the  parlor  of  the 
writer,  as  the  remembrance  of  the  original  still  warms  his  heart. 
One  of  the  peculiarities  of  the  Bishop  was  occasionally  to  use  a 
coarse  word  in  a  kind  and  playful  way.  It  was  whilst  sitting  for 
this  portrait  that  he  preached  that  great  sermon  of  his  in  St. 
James'  Church,  from  the  text  "What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved?" 
On  returning  from  church,  he  said  to  the  writer:  "Did  you  see 
that  rascal  in  church  to-day  ?"  "What  rascal,  Bishop?"  "Why, 
that  fellow  Eichholtz.  I  know  that  he  came  there  not  so  much 
to  worship  God  as  to  look  at  me."  This  was  indeed  the  truth, 
for  the  artist  confessed  afterward  that,  through  the  agency  of  a 
friend,  he  had  obtained  a  seat  in  the  centre  of  the  church,  with 
the  view  of  catching  the  spirit  and  expression  of  the  Bishop,  to 
give  life  to  his  canvas. 

Such  was  the  man  to  whom  a  gracious  Providence  had,  in  an 
unlooked-for  way,  directed  the  infant  Church  of  North  Carolina; 
and  such  his  manner  and  appearance  as  he  first  stood  before  a 
people  to  whom  he  was  so  lately  a  stranger  even  in  name,  with 


10  Bishop  Ravenscroft. 

but  a  short  experience  of  the  pastor's  life,  and  himself  a  com- 
paratively recent  convert  to  the  faith  that  he  was  about  to  preach, 
and  to  the  Church  in  which  he  was  to  be  a  ruler.  And  yet,  in  less 
than  seven  years,  what  a  work  did  he  accomplish !  It  would  be 
difficult  for  any  one  who  was  not  a  member  of  the  Diocese  at 
that  time  to  conceive*  the  obstacles  which  then  stood  in  the  way 
of  the  Church's  progress.  As  a  regular  organization  the  Dio- 
cese itself  was  only  in  its  sixth  year,  with  barely  enough  clergy- 
men to  entitle  it  to  a  Bishop.  The  congregations,  few  in  number, 
were  widely  scattered,  with  no  medium  of  intercommunication 
better  than  the  common  wagon  road,  and  what  was  still  harder  to 
be  overcome,  so  connected  were  they  by  marriage  and  other  ties 
with  the  different  denominations  around  them,  as  to  be  under  a 
species  of  vassalage  which  repressed,  even  where  it  was  most 
fervently  entertained,  the  true  spirit  of  the  Church.  Although 
the  clergy  were  sound  in  their  views  of  the  Church  as  a  heaven- 
ordained  agency  distinct  from  the  self-appointed  authorities  of 
the  sects  around,  there  was  but  one  of  them  *  that  fearlessly  and 
habitually  set  forth  her  Catholic  and  Apostolic  Character.  It  was 
not  long,  however,  before  the  trumpet  voice  of  their  Bishop 
cheered  the  faint-hearted,  and  rallied  his  people  around  him  firm 
and  united  as  a  Grecian  phalanx.  A  few  months  after  he  entered 
the  Diocese  a  distinguished  layman,  Speaker  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  said  to  the  writer:  "Sir,  you  have  a  noble 
Bishop.  He  is  already  making  a  wide  breach  in  the  enemy's 
walls;  you  must  stand  by  him." 

In  dealing  with  a  people  but  little  acquainted  with  the  true 
character  of  the  Church,  his  policy  was  to  strike  at  the  more  in- 
tellectual and  influential  class  of  society,  and  then,  with  the  aid  of 
their  example,  build  up  congregations  and  parishes  as  opportunity 
might  offer.  "  Example  descends,"  he  was  frequently  heard  to 
say.  And  such  was  the  effect  of  his  labors  in  that  way  that  at  his 
death  there  were  very  few  prominent  men  in  the  State  that  were 
not  either  members  of  our  communion,  or  else  its  warm  friends 
and  advocates.  In  defence  of  that  policy  the  writer  more  tban 
once  heard  him  repeat  the  story  of  the  Turkish  Sultan  who,  upon 
being  asked  by  one  of  his  Satraps  what  he  should  do  in  order  to 


*Rev.  Thomas  Wright. 


Bishop  Ravenscroft.  11 

put  down  an  insurrection  within  his  Province,  as  his  only  reply, 
took  him  into  the  garden,  and  standing  in  the  midst  of  a  bed  of 
poppies,  drew  his  scymetar  and  cut  off  the  heads  of  some  of  the 
tallest. 

From  what  has  been  said  it  will  be  seen  that  Bishop  Ravens- 
croft was  indeed  a  man  of  marked  characteristics.  But,  though 
strikingly  unlike  most  men  in  many  particulars,  he  scorned  the 
affectation  of  appearing  singular.  If  ever  a  man  was  just  what  he 
appeared  to  be,  Bishop  Ravenscroft  was  that  man.  His  honesty 
of  character  was  a  positive  transparency.  He  had  no  conceal- 
ments, no  system  of  tactics,  nothing  of  what  the  world  calls 
"  policy."  Walking  with  him  one  day  in  the  streets  of  Philadel- 
phia, and  speaking  on  this  subject,  he  said  to  the  writer:  "There 
is  not  a  thought  in  this  heart  that  I  would  not  be  willing  to  pub- 
lish from  Christ's    Church   steeple."     Once   at  the  table   of  Mr. 

S ,   a  distinguished  lawyer  of  that  city,  where  a  number  of 

Bishops  and  clergy  were  dining,  Bishop  Ravenscroft  made  one  of 
his  fearless  declarations  of  what  he  either  would  do  or  had  done  in 
a  case  then  under  discussion.  Bishop  Hobart,  in  his  usual  courtly 
manner,  observed,  "But,  my  dear  sir,  that  would  not  be  good 
policy."  He  had  scarcely  got  the  words  out,  when  Bishop 
Ravenscroft,  bringing  the  handles  of  his  knife  and  fork  down  with 
some  force  upon  the  table,  said,  in  a  tone  that  made  the  company 
start,  "Policy  !  sir,  policy  !  there  is  no  such  word  between  the  lids 
of  the  Bible."  To  this  the  amiable  Bishop  of  New  York  very 
quickly  responded,  "  But  you  know,  my  good  brother,  that  Saint 
Paul  tells  us  how  he  made  himself  all  things  to  all  men."  From 
this  slight  incident  some  little  insight  may  be  gained  into  the 
characteristics  of  these  two  great  and  good  men;  the  one  unspar- 
ing, fearless,  and  uncompromising  in  the  cause  of  truth  ;  the  other 
equally  bold  in  its  defence,  but  more  skillful  in  his  warfare,  and 
more  desirous  to  conquer  without  wounding.  It  would  have  been 
well  for  Bishop  Ravenscroft's  comfort,  but  not  for  the  cause  of  the 
Church,  if  he  had  known  something  of  the  art  of  those  who,  on 
what  they  call  "proper  occasions,"  know  how  to  give  truth  the 
" go  by."  He  would  thereby  have  avoided  that  unpleasant  contro- 
versy into  which  he  was  drawn  in  relation  to  the  Bible  Society. 
Unpleasant  to  himself,  on  account  of  the  unfairness  of  his  oppo- 
nents, but  profitable  to  the  Church,  because  affording  him  so  good 


12  Bishop  Ravenscroft. 

an  opportunity  of  setting  forth  her  true  character  and  defending 
her  claims. 

But  devoid  as  Bishop  Ravenscroft  was  of  any  dishonest  conceal- 
ment of  his  views,  he  was  equally  so  of  all  fearfulness  in  proclaim- 
ing them.  Indeed,  he  seemed  truly  not  to  know  what  fear  was. 
If  any  one  in  his  presence  happened  to  doubt  the  consequences  of 
any  proposed  course  of  action,  he  would  exclaim,  in  his  overpower- 
ing way,  "Consequences,  sir,  consequences  !  what  have  you  or  I 
to  do  with  consequences?"  He  might  well  have  taken  for  his 
motto,  "Every  plant  which  my  heavenly  Father  hath  not  planted 
shall  be  rooted  up."  Several  instances  of  this  fearlessness  of 
spirit  are  treasured  up  by  his  friends.  The  writer  of  this  was  told 
by  a  brother-in-law  of  the  Bishop  that,  when  at  the  age  of  eighteen, 
he  was  crossing  the  ocean  to  come  to  this  country,  the  ship  in 
which  he  was  a  passenger  became  so  entangled  among  icebergs 
that  even  the  Captain  himself  begain  to  despair  of  deliverance, 
when  young  Ravenscroft,  accompanied  by  another  like  spirit,  with 
a  hatchet  in  hand,  went  out  on  the  bowsprit,  and  by  cutting  off 
the  end  of  it  enabled  the  ship  to  swing  off  and  thus  disengage 
herself  from  her  perilous  situation.  Another  amusing  instance  of 
his  personal  fearlessness  may  not  be  without  interest  to  those  who 
may  wish  to  know  the  man  as  he  was.  He  was  once  preaching 
not  very  far  from  his  residence,  when  two  young  men  whom  he 
knew  came  stamping  into  the  church  with  their  high-heeled  boots, 
rather  desirous  of  attracting  attention,  than  of  avoiding  the  dis- 
turbance of  the  congregation.  Taking  their  seats  in  one  of  those 
old-fashioned  square  pews,  with  high  backs,  they  commenced  a 
regular  interchange  of  loud  whispers — loud  enough  to  attract  the 
attention  of  the  congregation  as  well  as  the  preacher.  After  bear- 
ing it  for  some  time  Mr.  Ravenscroft  stopped  in  his  discourse,  and 
mildly  said  that  he  would  be  glad  if  there  would  be  less  talking  in 
the  congregation.  This  checked  for  a  time  the  conversation  be- 
tween these  two  young  gentlemen ;  but  dropping  their  heads  be- 
low the  backs  of  the  pews  so  as  to  be  out  of  sight,  they  soon  renewed 
it  with  increased  vigor.  When,  at  length,  he  couli  bear  it  no 
longer,  in  one  of  his  thundering  tones,  and  pointing  with  his  finger, 
he  said:  "I  will  thank  those  two  young  men  in  that  pew  to  keep 
silence,  while  the  Word  of  God  is  being  preached."  Springing 
from  their  seats  and  snatching  up  their  hats  they  stamped  out  of 


Bishop  Ravenscroft.  13 

the  church  with  more  clatter  than  when  they  came  in,  whilst  the 
preacher  proceeded  with  as  much  composure  as  if  that  little  episode 
had  been  a  part  of  his  sermon.  After  getting  out  of  the  church  a 
council  of  war  was  held  by  them,  and  it  was  resolved  that  nothing 
short  of  the  cudgelling  of  the  offender  could  retrieve  their  lost 
honor  and  avenge  so  gross  an  insult.  Accordingly  they  adjourned 
to  a  neighboring  thicket,  where  each  armed  himself  with  a  stout 
club.  It  was  then  agreed  that  one  should  stand  behind  the  church, 
while  the  other  should  wait  for  Mr.  Ravenscroft  at  the  door. 
When  he  came  out  in  his  gown  the  following  passed  between 
them  : — 

"I  wish  to  speak  with  you,  Mr.  Ravenscroft." 

"Very  well,  sir;  here  I  am." 

"Will  you  step  behind  the  church  with  me?" 

"Certainly,  sir,  certainly." 

On  arriving  where  the  other  stood  holding  his  club  with  a 
trembling  hand  there  was  an  awkward  pause,  broken  at  length  by 
Mr.  Ravenscroft  himself  asking,  "Well,  young  gentlemen,  what 
do  you  want  with  me?"  One  of  them  mustered  courage  enough 
to  answer,  "  We  wish  to  know  what  you  meant  by  so  insulting  us 
just  now."  "What  insult?"  demanded  Mr.  Ravenscroft,  in  one 
of  his  startling  tones.  When  they  stated  that  it  was  his  speaking 
to  them  in  the  church,  and  that  they  demanded  an  apology  from 
him,  the  apology  came  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  in  these  words, 
"Boys,  I  am  ashamed  of  you;  and  you  ought  to  be  ashamed  of 
yourselves.     You  are  shaming  your  parents,  too,  for  they  have 

taught  you  better  than  this.     You   Jim  B k  are  the  son  of  a 

good  old  Presbyterian   Elder,  who  would  be  grieved  to  know  how 

you  have   behaved  to-day.     And   as  for   you,    Jack   B ,  you 

have  had  Church  training,  and  ought  to  know  better,  sir.  What 
would  your  mother  think  of  you,  if  she  could  see  you  as  you  are 
at  this  moment?  Go  home  boys,  go  home."  The  end  of  the 
matter  was,  in  his  own  peculiar  manner  of  relating  it,  that  they 
"  tucked  their  tails  between  their  legs  and  went  away." 

Another  instance  of  a  somewhat  similar  kind  occurred  on  his 
visit  to  Tennessee  and  Kentucky  the  year  previous  to  his  death. 
One  evening  the  stage-coach,  in  which  he  and  several  others  were 
passengers,  took  in  a  man  who  was  considerably  intoxicated,  and 
soon  began  to  be  very  talkative  and  very  profane.     After  a  little 


14  Bishop  Ravenscroft. 

the  Bishop,  in  a  kind  manner,  told  him  that  his  language  was  un- 
pleasant to  his  fellow-passengers,  and  requested  him  to  speak 
without  the  addition  of  any  oaths.  To  this,  the  man  replied  that 
his  mouth  was  his  own,  and  that  he  would  do  with  it  as  he  pleased. 
The  Bi?hop  made  no  reply ;  but  when  his  profane  language  was 
renewed  in  a  more  offensive  form  he  again  kindly  reminded  the 
man  that,  when  he  came  into  the  coach,  the  passengers  were  all  on 
good  terms  with  each  other,  and  each  in  his  turn  contributing  to 
the  pleasure  of  the  others,  whilst  he  was  making  himself  disagree- 
able to  all.  To  this  came  another  and  more  insulting  reply,  with 
a  renewal  of  his  outrageous  language.  The  Bishop  then,  thinking 
that  longer  forbearance  was  ceasing  to  be  a  virtue,  clapped  his 
hand  with  some  force  on  the  shoulder  of  the  offender,  who  was  sit- 
ting next  to  him,  and  in  his  most  terrific  tone,  said,  "  Utter 
another  oath,  sir,  if  you  dare,  and  I  will  drop  you  under  the 
wheels  of  the  coach."  A  clap  of  thunder  could  not  more  suddenly 
or  more  effectually  have  silenced  the  wretchel  man.  Not  a  word 
was,  for  some  time,  spoken  by  any  one  in  the  coach,  and  the 
frightened  creature  never  opened  his  lips  during  the  remainder  of 
the  night.  '  As  day  began  to  dawn,  the  poor  fellow,  to  use  the 
very  words  of  the  Bishop,  "stole  several  timid  side-glances  at  him, 
to  see  whether  it  was  a  human  being  or  a  grizzly  bear  that  had  so 
growled  at  him,  and  laid  so  huge  a  paw  upon  his  shoulder."  At 
sunrise  next  morning  he  got  out  at  his  home,  which  was  not  far 
from  the  road-side.  But  before  leaving,  he  turned  towards  the 
coach,  and  said,  "  Ladies  and  Gentlemen,  I  humbly  beg  your  par- 
don for«my  conduct  last  night;"  and,  addressing  himself  to  the 
Bishop,  said,  "  Sir,  I  particularly  ask  your  pardon,  and  thank  you 
for  stopping  me,  as  you  did."  He  then  stated  that  he  was  not  "a 
drinking  man  ;"  but  that  he  had  got  with  some  old  friends  the  day 
before,  and  had  made  a  fool  of  himself.  The  Bishop,  a  good  deal 
affected  by  the  man's  humble  apology,  said,  "My  friend,  I  freely 
forgive  you,  but  remember  that  there  is  One,  up  'there,"  point- 
ing with  his  finger,  "from  whom  you  must  yet  receive  pardon,  and 
strength  also,  if  you  want  to  be  a  better  man."  He  then  shook 
his  hand,  and  said,  "I  hope  you  may  find  all  well  at  home." 

At  another  time,  on  his  first  visit  to  Philadelphia,  when  porters 
and  hack-drivers  were  allowed  to  rush  into  a  newly-arrived  steam- 
boat like  a  set  of  Algerine  pirates  boarding  a  cutter,  a  stout  Irish 


Bishop  Ravensoroft.  15 

porter  seize*!  the  Bishop's  trunk  and  was  in  the  act  of  lifting  it 
upon  his  shoulder,  when  a  stentorian  voice  made  him  as  quickly  re- 
turn it  to  its  place.  On  a  slight  movement  being  made  among 
some  persons  standing  near,  the  man  again  began  to  lift  the  trunk, 
when  "Put  it  DOWN,"  in  a  voice  of  thunder,  made  him  once 
more  release  his  hold.  A  third  attempt  was  made  before  the 
Bishop  was  ready  to  move,  when,  in  a  lower,  but  equally  terriffic 
tone,  he  said,  "Touch  that  trunk  again  sir,  before  I  tell  you,  and 
I  will  drop  you  into  the  Delaware."  This  was  enough  for  Pat, 
who  stood  fixed  by  the  side  of  his  anticipated  prize,  looking  with 
a  mixture  of  fear  and  wonderment  on  its  owner.  After  a  moment 
or  two  more,  the  Bishop  said,  "Now,  my  friend,  take  the  trunk 
and  go  ahead  of  me;  but  take  care  to  keep  within  six  paces  of 
me."  As  the  writer  was  then  walking  at  the  Bishop's  side  he 
was  amused  to  see  Pat  looking  back,  every  few  steps,  to  be  sure 
that  he  neither  exceeded  nor  fell  short  of  the  prescribed  distance. 
This  is  a  rough  story  to  tell  of  the  good  Bishop,  and  does  indeed 
show  him  in  one  of  his  unflattering  points.  But  let  the  reader  re- 
member that  the  monarch  of  the  forest  is  often  known  to  roar  in 
his  most  pacific  moods.  The  truth  is,  the  Bishop  "knew  his 
man,"  and  by  that  very  roughness  of  manner  not  only  accom- 
plished his  present  purpose,  but  very  probably  gained  in  that 
stout  Irish  heart  a  friend  and  admirer  for  life. 

While  thinking,  one  day,  of  his  habitual  fearlessness  and  self- 
command,  the  writer  was  tempted  to  ask,  "Bishop,  were  you  ever 
'•put  ouf  in  your  life?"  "Yes,  twice,"  was  the  immediate  answer. 
"Pray  tell  me  how  it  was."  "  Once  when  my  light  went  out,  and 
again  when  Brother  Hawley's  pulpit  ran  away  with  me."  Upon 
being  asked  to  explain,  he  said  that,  on  the  first  occasion,  he  was 
holding  an  evening  service  and  lecturing  at  the  house  of  a  friend 
in  Richmond;  a  large  number  had  filled  several  of  the  rooms;  the 
■  prayers  were  through,  and  he  hail,  for  about  five  minutes,  to  use 
his  own  words,  "got  on  swimmingly  with  his  subject,''  when  all  at 
once  a  curtain,  as  it  were,  fell  before  his  mind.  lie  could  re- 
member neither  his  text  nor  a  word  that  he  had  been  saying,  and 
had,  after  a  brief  apology,  to  di-miss  the  congregation,  saying, 
"My  friends,  my  light  has  gone  out."  In  the  second  instance,  it 
will  be  remembered  by  many  of  the  older  church-goers  of  the  city 
of  Washington  that  the  lofty  pulpit  of  the  old  St.  John's  Church, 


16  BisJiop  Ravenscroft. 

of  winch  good  Dr.  Hawley  was  so  long  rector,  was  within  the 
chancel-railing,  and  placed  on  wheels,  in  order  that  it  might  be  re- 
moved to  one  side  on  Communion  occasions. 

"When  I  was  preaching  there,  one  Sunday,"  said  the  Bishop  in  a  playful 
manner,  "seeing  so  many  'big  folks'  before  me,  I  thought  that  I  would  be 
big  too,  and  accordingly  I  put  a  little  additional  powder  into  my  gun.  In 
the  middle  of  my  sermon,  when  all  eyes  were  directed  towards  me,  I  un- 
fortunately lifted  my  hand  somewhat  higher  than  usual,  which  gave  the 
pulpit  a  start,  and  away  it  went,  apparently  bent  on  settling  in  the  midst  of 
the  foremost  pews  crowded  with  ladies.  It  was  a  bare  moment,  however,  be- 
fore its  progress  was  arrested  by  the  rail  of  the  chancel ;  but  during  that 
moment  the  church  presented  a  singular  scene,  the  women  screaming,  and 
the  men  springing  from  their  seats  with  hands  uplifted  to  stop  the  strange 
thing." 

Another  incident  may  here  be  noted  which  may  serve  to  illus- 
trate one  of  his  peculiarities,  although  some  may  think  that  it  was 
carried  a  little  too  far.     A  church  had  been  built  in  the  town  of 

M n  by  a  general  subscription.     Although  the  members  of  the 

church  were  the  largest  contributors,  it  not  long  after  fell  into  the 
possession  of  the  Presbyterians,  but  was  nevertheless  open  to  the 
occasional  use  of  others.  On  one  of  the  Bishop's  visits  to  that 
place,  the  writer,  as  usual  when  traveling  with  him,  read  the 
prayers,  the  worthy  minister  of  the  church  sitting  in  the  pulpit  at 
his  back.  When  the  "service"  was  over,  the  writer  came  down 
and  motioned  to  the  Bishop  to  go  up  and  take  his  place  ;  but  was 
answered  by  a  shake  of  the  head.  Another  motion  was  made, 
supposing  that  the  first  was  not  understood ;  but  was  met  by 
another  and  more  determined  shake.  A  whisper  in  his  ear  was 
equally  unavailing  to  move  him.  He  said  that  he  was  not  willing 
to  preach  with  another  man  in  the  pulpit  behind  him.  The  thing' 
ended  rather  awkwardly  in  the  worthy  man's  being  requested  by 
a  common  friend  to  come  down  in  order  to  make  way  for  the 
Bishop.  When  the  writer,  as  they  came  from  the  church,  said, 
"Oh,  Bishop,  how  could  you  act  in  chat  way  to-day?"  His 
answer,  though  amusing,  was  not  equally  kind  and  just.  "I  have 
no  idea,  sir,  of  a  man's  sitting  behind  me  and  making  mouths  at 
me  while  I  am  preaching  the  Word  of  God."  I  will  add  that  the 
worthy  minister  took  it  all  in  a  good  spirit,  until  some  of  his  peo- 
ple told  him  that  it  was  a  great  insult,  when  he  began  to  get  as 
angry  as  they  were. 


Bishop  Ravenscroft.  17 

And  yet,  under  all  this  lion's  hide  there  beat  a  truly  kind 
and  loving  heart.  Well  does  the  writer  remember,  as  though  it 
were  but  yesterday,  almost  the  last  words  uttered  by  that  dear 
man,  a  day  or  two  before  his  death,  "Brother  G.,  I  have  been  a 
rough  creatur" — as  he  often  purposely  pronounced  that  word — 
"but,"  he  added  with  deep  feeling,  and  striking  his  broad  breast, 
"  God  knows  there  was  no  roughness  here."  He  was  very  fond 
of  little  children,  although  he  often  addressed  them  as  little  "trou- 
ble-worlds ;"  and  they  became  equally  fond  of  him,  after  they  got 
over  the  fear  of  his  shaggy  eyebrows.  A  kinder  or  more  thought- 
ful husband  never  lived.  His  devotion  to  his  wife  during  her  last 
illness  was  constant  and  untiring,  being  scarcely  one  moment  from 
her  bedside,  and  insisting  upon  performing  for  her  every  office  that 
propriety  would  admit.  And  when  the  writer  was  committing  her 
body  to  the  ground  he  asked  to  be  permitted  to  take  the  conclud- 
ing portion  of  the  service  at  the  grave.  When  he  came  to  "Earth 
to  earth,  ashes  to  ashes,  and  dust  to  dust,"  his  voice  was  so  choked 
and  his  whole  frame  shook  so  violently  that  it  was  feared  by  many 
that  he  would  fall  into  the  grave.  It  was,  indeed,  a  strange  and 
moving  spectacle  to  see  tears  streaming  from  those  eyes  that 
looked  in  general  as  though  they  could  not  be  forced  to  weep. 

The  nature  of  that  thing  called  tact  was  unknown  to  Bishop 
Ravenscroft.  His  straightforwardness  could  never  be  induced  to 
give  way  to  mere  expediency.  His  unbending  character  was  not 
long  in  being  perceived  by  his  people ;  but  they  soon  learned 
that,  so  far  from  being  obstinately  wedded  to  his  own  views,  he 
was  not  only  open  to  the  reasoning  of  others,  but  would  often  ask 
the  opinions  of  some  of  the  youngest  of  his  clergy.  It  was  this 
straightforward,  fearless,  and  uncompromising  character  that 
prompted  Chief  Justice  Henderson,  when,  at  a  large  dinner  party, 
he  was  called  upon  for  a  "  toast,"  to  say,  "  Gentlemen,  I  give  you 
Bishop  Ravenscroft,  the  St.  Paul  of  the  South,  in  all  things," 
and  then  pausing  for  a  moment,  added,  "  except  in  making  himself 
all  things  to  all  men." 

His  want  of  tact  in  a  measure  unfitted  him  for  the  task  of  cate- 
chising children  or  conducting  a  Bible  Class.  His  mind  grasped 
the  larger  points  of  a  subject  so  fully  as  seemingly  to  leave  no 
room  for  those  lesser  details  that  are  easily  comprehended  by 
young  minds,  and  serve  as  convenient  stepping-stones  to  higher 
2 


18  Bishop  Ravenscroft. 

and  larger  truths.  For  instance,  the  writer  of  this  had  once  pre- 
pared a  very  intelligent  class  of  girls  for  examination  by  the 
Bishop  on  the  New  Testament,  and  was  anticipating  the  result 
with  no  little  pride,  when  the  very  first  question  "puzzled"  both 
teacher  and  scholars.  "Young  ladies,  what  is  the  principal  peti- 
tion in  the  Lord's  Prayer?"  The  only  answer  was  a  blush,  a 
frightened  expression  of  the  eyes,  and  a  pleading  look  at  their  in- 
structor, who  had  to  confess  that  he  had  not  taught  either  himself 
or  his  class  to  set  any  one  petition  of  that  prayer  before  all  the 
others.  The  Bishop  then  said  that,  in  his  view,  its  distinguishing 
feature  was  that  which  related  to  the  forgiveness  of  injuries. 

Bishop  Ravenscroft  was  an  impressive  and  deeply  interesting 
reader.  That  interest  was  owing  more  to  his  evidently  under- 
standing and  thoroughly  feeling  his  subject  than  to  any  skill  in  the 
arts  of  the  Rhetorician.  His  voice,  though  apparently  incapable 
of  much  inflection,  never  palled  upon  the  ear.  Not  a  syllable  was 
lost ;  for  whether  he  was  in  the  Pulpit  or  the  Desk,  a  perfect  still- 
ness reigned  throughout  the  congregation.  The  writer  was  often 
surprised  to  see  the  apparent  attention  of  children  who  were  of 
too  tender  an  age  to  understand  either  the  Prayers  or  the  Sermon. 

As  a  Preacher  he  was  justly  entitled  to  be  called  evangelical 
in  the  proper  and  unabused  sense  of  that  term ;  for  any  one  who 
will  look  into  his  sermons  cannot  fail  to  see  that  the  Depravity 
of  man,  the  Atonement  of  the  Cross,  and  the  need  of  the  renew- 
ing power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  were  his  favorite  topics.  His  ser- 
mons were  long,  seldom  less  than  forty  or  fifty  minutes  ;  but  even 
then,  too  short  to  many  of  his  hearers.  His  only  gesture  was  a 
-  slight  elevation  of  the  right  hand.  Although  he  very  seldom 
preached  an  unwritten  sermon,  he  had  the  art  of  so  reading  his 
manuscript  that  his  eye  was,  for  a  mere  instant,  taken  from  the 
congregation.  He  was  often  asked  to  hold  an  Evening  Service 
in  the  house  of  a  friend;  on  which  occasions  he  always  spoke  with- 
out either  written  sermon  or  notes,  and  from  the  first  passage  that 
presented  itself.  And  it  was  frequently  remarked  by  those  who 
heard  those  lectures  that  they  were  even  superior  to  his  Pulpit 
exercises.  Though  strictly  adhering  in  public,  to  the  prescribed 
Forms  of  the  Church,  he  frequently  used  extempore  Prayer  in 
his  own  family,  and  amid  his  friends ;  and  beyond  all  other 
men   known    to    the   writer,   he  possessed  what  may  properly  be 


Bishop  Ravenscroft.  19 

called  the  "  gift  of  prayer".  Not  a  mere  redundance  of  expres- 
sion, nor  expertness  in  crowding  in  a  multitude  of  Scripture  phra- 
ses, but  words  warm  from  the  heart,  and  well-befitting  the  wor- 
ship of  Him  to  whom  they  were  addressed. 

The  style  of  his  sermons  was  plain,  as  was  also  their  meaning. 
His  straightforwardness  was  to  be  seen  there  as  plainly  as  in  his 
general  action.  He  had  no  stomach  for  hair-breadth  distinctions  ; 
and  positively  hated  what  is  generally  understood  as  "  Metaphy- 
sics." His  mind  was  of  a  character  to  grasp  the  strongest  points 
of  a  subject,  leaving  all  side  issues  and  minor  considerations  to  be 
dealt  with  by  others.  He  read  but  few  books,  but  digested  them 
thoroughly.  For  the  "  Fine  Arts"  he  seemed  to  have  but  little 
taste.  The  Church  which  he  built  in  Mecklenburg  County,  on 
account  of  its  very  high  pitch  and  almost  square  form,  was  laugh- 
ingly compared  by  his  friends  to  a  "Tobacco-barn."  Both  in 
writing  and  in  conversation  he  was  as  fond,  as  Homer  was,  of  using 
compound  words,  such  as  Heaven-descended,  God-ordained,  and 
Man- appointed.  There  was  one  word  which  he  frequently  used 
out  of  its  usual  meaning, — the  word  concerning,  for  instance,  a 
"  concerning  truth,"  a  "  concerning  thought."  And  he  would 
even  sometimes  purposely  misspell  a  word,  if  it  seemed  to  him  to 
give  more  force  to  its  meaning  : — thus  he  always  wrote  "  I  am  sett 
for  the  defence  of  the  Gospel."  Though  generally  correct  in  pro- 
nouncing his  words,  he  would  occasionally  take  a  way  of  his  own  ; 
and  if  reminded  as  he  frequently  was,  by  the  writer,  that  he  was 
going  contrary  to  "Walker's"  rules,  he  would  burst  out,  "Who 
is  Dick  Walker  ?  I  have  as  much  right  to  make  a  Dictionary  as 
he  has." 

Notice  has  already  been  taken  of  his  command  over  his  Con- 
gregations. A  striking  instance  of  this  occurred  at  a  small  neigh- 
borhood Church  in  Virginia.  He  had  got,  in  the  Service,  as  far 
as  the  "  Creed,"  and  had  repeated  the  first  Article,  "  I  believe  in 
God  the  Father  Almighty,  Maker  of  Heaven  and  jearth,"  when 
he  perceived  that  not  one  mouth  in  the  Congregation  responded 
to  those  words.  Turning  his  Prayer-Book  over  on  the  Desk,  and 
looking  over  the  congregation  with  a  mixture  of  trouble  and  sur- 
prise, he  said,  in  a  voice  that  startled  every  one,  "  Brethren,  am 
I  in  the  midst  of  a  Heathen  or  a  Christian  people  ?  Can  it  be  pos- 
sible that  there  is  no  man  or  woman  present,  who  believes  in  '  God 


20  Bishop  Ravenscroft. 

the  Father  Almighty,  Maker  of  Heaven  and  earth  ?'  "  Then,  after 
pausing  a  moment,  as  if  to  let  the  people  recover  themselves,  he 
said,  "Let  us  try  again."  On  commencing  a  second  time,  his 
great  voice  was  nearly  drowned  in  the  mingled  responses  of  every 
man,  woman,  and  child  in  the  house.  After  thus  frightening  this 
Congregation,  he  not  long  after  endeared  himself  to  them  by  a 
little  piece  of  thoughtfulness  which  they  hardly  expected  from 
him.  Soon  after  the  commencement  of  his  sermon  a  very  dark 
cloud  arose,  threatening  a  speedy  and  heavy  fall  of  rain.  Both 
men  and  women,  who  had  all  come  on  horse-back,  began  to  feel 
uneasy  about  their  saddles,  and  to  look  wistfully  out  of  the 
door  ;  but  such  was  their  fear  of  disturbing  that  big  man  in  the 
pulpit,  that  not  one  of  them  ventured  to  leave  his  seat.  Their 
uneasiness,  however,  was  perceived  by  Mr.  Ravenscroft,  who  kind- 
ly said,  "  My  friends,  I  will  pause  five  minutes  in  my  discourse,  in 
order  that  you  may  take  care  of  your  saddles."  The  house  was 
soon  emptied,  the  saddles  thrust  under  the  Church,  and,  every  one 
reseated  before  the  five  minutes  were  out.  From  that  time  forth 
Mr.  Ravenscroft  was  in  high  favor  with  that  Congregation. 

Although  deeply  engaged  in  his  work  whilst  preaching,  he  sel- 
dom failed  to  notice  any  marked  attention  or  immediate  effect  pro- 
duced on  any  of  the  Congregation.  When  he  was  preaching  that 
great  sermon  in  St.  James'  Church,  Philadelphia,  the  Congrega- 
tion embraced  many  of  the  leading  men  of  the  Bar  and  Bench  of 
the  City  ;  and  the  writer,  being  in  the  Desk,  could  plainly  see  the 
marked  effect  of  the  words  of  that  man  of  God.  The  Bishop  act- 
ing up  to  his  principle  of  "striking  high,"  had  aimed  some  of 
his  stoutest  shafts  at  a  distinguished  lawyer,  who  sat  before 
him.  After  coming  out  of  the  Church,  he  said,  "  Did  you  notice 
B — y  to-day  ?  Why  the  man  was  sitting  upon  a  hackle  through 
the  whole  sermon."  Those  who  are  at  all  acquainted  with  flax-mak- 
ing will  be  amused  with  the  figure  thus  used  to  express  the  un- 
easiness of  that  distinguished  man  under  the  smitings  of  God's 
Word.  But  before  we  left  the  Church  an  amusing,  or  rather  char- 
acteristic scene  took  place  in  the  vestry-room,  between  the  Bishop 
and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Montgomery,  Rector  of  the  Church,  who  yielded 
to  none  of  the  Bishop's  own  Clergy  in  love  and  admiration  for  the 
man.  The  Dr.  entered  the  room  with  an  evidently  dejected  and 
dissatisfied  look,  and  addressing  the  Bishop,  said,  with  tears  in  his 


Bishop  Ravenscroft.  21 

eyes,  "  Oh,  Bishop,  that  I  could  preach  as  you  do  !"  "  Why  don't 
you,  sir?"  was  the  blunt  reply.  "I  can't,  Bishop."  "You  can, 
sir.  Did  I  preach  anything  but  the  simple  Gospel  to-day?"  "No, 
Bishop,  no,  but  I  cannot  preach  in  that  way."  The  Bishop  then 
took  his  hand  and  reminded  him  that  it  was  not  by  the  might  or 
power  of  man  but  by  the  Spirit  of  God  that  the  Gospel  was  to 
accomplish  its  ends. 

Having  already  introduced  the  name  of  a  late  distinguished 
Chief  Justice  of  North  Carolina,  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to 
record  another  incident  illustrative  of  the  characters  of  the  two 
men.  Near  the  close  of  his  life  the  Bishop  resided  for  a  year  or 
two  in  a  small  village  within  a  mile  of  the  Judge's  residence.  Hav- 
ing the  highest  reverence  for  the  Bishop's  character,  and  an  equal 
admiration  for  the  powers  of  his  intellect,  the  Judge  was  rejoiced 
at  the  prospect  of  hearing  him  frequently,  and  was  accordingly 
early  in  his  pew  at  the  Bishop's  first  appointment ;  but  strange  to 
say,  was  never  there  afterwards.  On  being  asked  the  reason,  he 
promptly  answered  with  his  usual  and  only  oath.  "  By  blood,  sir, 
J  couldn't  stand  it.  Why,  the  man  poured  the  whole  of  his  ser- 
mon right  down  into  my  pew ;  and  didn't  seem  [to  have  a  word  for 
any  body  else."  What  stronger  proof  could  be  given  on  the  one 
hand,  of  the  convincing  power  of  God's  word ;  and  on  the  other 
of  the  force  and  faithfulness  with  which  that  noble  Bishop  dis- 
pensed it. 

Bishop  Ravenscroft  was  what  the  world  is  pleased  to  call  a 
"High-Churchman,"  but  was,  in  no  sense,  a  Party-man.  In  a 
letter  to  the  writer,  he  said  : 

"  Everything  serves  to  convince  me  more  and  more  of  the  injurious  ten- 
dency of  all  half-way  measures.  I  will  therefore,  have  nothing  to  do  with 
them.  Every  circumstance  also  confirms  the  propriety  of  being  open  and 
candid  in  declaring  our  principles.  I  see  that  success  follows  them;  and 
that  loss  and  dilapidation  are  the  result  of  a  different  system.  No  other 
course  can  effectually  expose  and  defeat  the  sectarian  arts  of  our  adversa- 
ries. So  long  as  they  can  have  it  to  say,  from  the  conduct  of  our  people, 
that  the  differences  are,  as  they  endeavor  to  represent,  unimportant,  so  long 
will  our  exertions  be  neutralized  by  our  own  unjustifiable  indifference  to 
their  vital  consequences." 

But  whilst  thus  uncompromising  in  his  views  of  the  nature  of 
the  Church,  and  of  the  Divine  authority  of  a  threefold  ministry, 
he  knew  how  to  make  allowance  for  those  Brethren  who,  out  of  a 


22  Bishop  Ravenscroft. 

mistaken  kindness  to  others,  lower  the  claims  of  the  Church  to  a 
level  with  those  of  the  multitudinous  Denominations  that  surround 
her.  When  a  late  Professor  of  the  Theological  Seminary  of  Alex- 
andria was  once  the  subject  of  conversation,  he  broke  in,  "What 
R — 1  K — h !  If  there  is  a  man  in  the  world  that  lives  close  to 
his  God,  it  is  R — 1  K — h;  but,  sir,  he  knows  no  more  of  the 
Church  than  my  horse."  The  wretched  system  of  Calvin,  which 
finally  disordered  the  intellect  of  that  worthy  Professor,  was  held 
by  Bishop  Ravenscroft  in  perfect  abomination.  He  could  scarcely 
speak  of  it  with  patience.  And,  he  had  just  as  little  sympathy 
with  those  itinerant  Revivalists  who  were  going  about,  as  he  used 
to  say,  in  his  rough  way  "  dispensing  the  Holy  Ghost  from  their 
breeches'  pockets."  "You  can't,"  he  was  more  than  once,  heard 
to  say,—"  You  can't  weld  a  Christian  out,  at  one  heat." 

Although  he  lived  when  the  Church  in  America  was  compara- 
tively in  its  infancy,  he  was  as  hopeful  and  as  confident  of  its  fu- 
ture growth  as  if  it  were  then  before  his  eyes  ;  and  was  as  fearless 
in  setting  forth  its  Apostolic  and  authoritative  character  as  if  the 
whole  world  stood  at  his  back.  Hence  it  comes  that  "  North 
Carolina  Churchmanship  "  has  almost  grown  into  a  proverb  ;  and 
that  his  successor  in  the  Episcopate,  when  leaving  her  pure  com- 
munion for  the  corruption  of  Rome,  could  carry  with  him  only 
one  weak  woman  who  subsequently  returned,  not  to  the  bosom  of 
the  Church  she  had  deserted,  but  united  herself  with  one  of  the 
least  enlightened  sects  of  the  land. 

Never  was  there  a  man  who  entertained  juster  ideas  of  what  a 
Bishop  of  the  Church  ought  to  be,  or  who  more  fully  acted  up  to 
that  character.  To  his  Clergy  he  was  a  loving  father,  as  well  as 
a  wise  ruler,  and  took  a  lively  interest  in  all  that  concerned  them. 
That  he  was  even  proud  of  them  he  evidently  showed  when  one 
day,  standing  in  front  of  Trinity  Church,  New  York,  conversing 
with  one  of  the  D.  Ds.,  of  that  City,  he  placed  one  hand  on  the 
shoulder  of  the  writer,  and  addressing  the  Rev.  Gentleman,  said, 
with  a  snap  of  the  fingers,  "  I  wouldn't  give  my  fourteen  Boys, 
sir,  for  your  whole  Diocese."  And  this  reminds  the  writer  of  an- 
other evidence  to  show  how  justly  he  appreciated  the  character  of 
his  holy  Office.  It  was  once  hinted  to  him  that  he  was  likely  to 
be  invited  to  a  much  larger  Diocese.  He  immediately,  and  in  his 
strong  manner,  said,  "  No,  sir;  I  would  lose  this  right  arm  sooner 


Bishop  Ravenscroft.  23 

than  set  the  first  example  of  'Translation  '  in  the  American  Epis- 
copate." To  each  of  his  Clergy  he  bequeathed  some  little  le- 
gacy to  assure  them  that  they  were  remembered  by  him  to  the 
last.  And  it  is  not  doubted  that  he  continued  to  pray  for  them 
after  he  felt  in  his  last  hour,  that  prayer  was  no  longer  needed  by 
himself.  No  Bishop  was  ever  more  prompt  at  the  call  of  duty,  or 
spared  himself  less  in  its  performance.  Punctual  to  a  moment, 
he  kept  no  man,  and  especially,  no  Congregation  waiting  for  him. 
If  an  appointment  was  to  be  met  he  took  no  thought  of  the  weath- 
er, and  to  use  his  own  words  he  would  "  be  on  hand  "  at  the  ap- 
pointed hour;  and  if  he  found  "no  congregation  there,  would 
ride  around  the  Church,  and  leave  his  horse's,  tracks  in  the  snow, 
as  a  testimony  against  them."  There  was  no  duty  which  he  more 
frequently  impressed  upon  his  Clergy  than  that  of  faithfully  pre- 
paring their  Candidates  for  Confirmation.  One  of  his  letters  now 
lies  before  the  writer,  in  which  he  says,  "  If  Judge  R  .  .  .  .  n 
thinks  of  Confirmation  he  will,  when  I  come,  have  an  opportunity 
Avhich  may  not  soon  recur.  Examine  faithfully,  by  giving  him 
the  true  grounds  on  which  the  worth  of  the  Ordinance  rests, — 
hearty  repentance,  and  true  faith." 

From  all  that  has  been  stated  it  may  be  easily  seen  that  the 
manner  of  Bishop  Ravenscroft  was  rather  of  the  commanding 
than  winning  order.  By  a  casual  observer  it  might  have  been 
pronounced  harsh  and  dictatorial.  He  was  himself  aware  of  his 
want  of  the  suaviter  in  modo.  For  he  once  playfully  said  to  the 
writer,  "  Brother  G.  you  have  too  much  milk-and-water  in  your 
composition,  and  I  have  too  much  vinegar.  Now,  if  we  could  be 
kneaded  together,  and  rolled  out,  and  divided,  what  two  capital 
fellows  we  would  make."  Though  full  of  such  little  pleasantry,  he 
never  let  himself  down  for  a  moment  from  his  habitual  dignity  of 
deportment ;  and  through  a  seven  years'  intimacy  the  writer  never 
knew  him  to  laugh  aloud.  He  was  no  great  talker  in  mixed  com- 
panies, because  he  had  no  taste  for  those  inferior  subjects  which 
make  up  the  staple  of  general  conversation.  He  often  produced  a 
smile  by  his  strong  and  homely  comparisons,  some  of  which  have 
already  been  noted.  To  a  lady  who  was  thinking  of  removing 
from  his  Parish,  in  Virginia,  to  a  place  where  there  were  no 
Church  privileges,  and  no  Christian  communion,  he  said,  "  Sister 
G — e,  I  tell  you,  what,  A  chunk,  by  itself,   will  go  out."     To  a 


"24  Bishop  Ravenscroft. 

brother  Clergyman  of  Virginia,  who  told  him  that  his  Vestry 
would  not  let  him  use  a  Surplice,  he  said  "  If  they  were  my  Ves- 
try, sir,  they  should  either  pull  or  balk."  To  a  friend  who  was 
borrowing  from  him  a  horse  that  trotted  very  hard,  he  said,  "  You 
are  welcome  to  him,  sir,  but  there  will  be  plenty  of  day-light  be- 
tween vou  and  the  saddle." 

4/ 

While  penning  these  lines,  the  following  incident  was  related  to 
the  writer  as  a  true  story  ;  and  it  certainly  fits  in  with  what  has 
been  shown  of  the  Bishop's  unceremonious  and  summary  way  of 
treating  a  subject. 

On  one  of  his  journeyings  he  encountered  a  worthy  old  Baptist 
Preacher  who  had  long  desired  to  see  him  and  to  break  a  lance 
with  him  on  his  favorite  subject  of  immersion.  As  soon  as  they 
were  introduced  to  each  other  the  old  gentleman  challenged  the 
Bishop  to  a  regular  discussion  as  to  the  proper  mode  and  proper 
subjects  for  Christian  Baptism.  He  readily  consented,  but  said, 
"  There  is  one  preliminary  question  which  I  would  like  to  have 
settled  before  we  begin  ;— that  is,  '  Where,  sir,  do  you  get  your 
authority  to  baptize  any  body,  or  in  any  way  V '"  This  was  an  unex- 
pected thrust  for  which  the  good  man  was  entirely  unprepared,  and 
put  an  end  at  once  to  the  hope  which  he  had  so  confidently  enter- 
tained of  an  easy  victory. 

In  his  religious  character  Bishop  Ravenscroft  was  an  example  to 
all  who  knew  him.  He  was  emphatically  a  "man  of  prayer."  It 
was  the  good  fortune  of  the  writer  to  accompany  him  in  many  of  his 
visitations,  and  oftentimes  to  occupy  the  same  room  with  him.  He 
had  thus  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  his  morning  and  evening 
devotions,  at  his  bedside,  when  a  more  retired  place  could  not  be  ob- 
tained for  the  purpose.  On  one  occasion  finding  a  small  adjoining 
room  unoccupied  he  shut  himself  in,  with  the  hope  of  being  out  of 
the  hearing  as  well  as  of  the  sight  of  every  one.  The  writer  hap- 
pening to  go  into  the  room  which  he  had  just  left,  was  startled 
and  alarmed  at  hearing  deep  and  repeated  groanings  proceeding 
from  that  little  chamber.  Recognizing  the  well-known  voice  of  his 
beloved  Bishop,  and  supposing  him  to  be  taken  with  a  sudden  and 
painful  illness,  he  was  about  flying  to  his  relief,  when  he  was  ar 
rested  by  distinguishing  words  of  earnest  prayer.  It  was  that  man 
of  God,  not  in  bodily  suffering,  but  mourning  for  the  thousandth 
time  over  his  past  offences,  and  wrestling,  in  all  the  fervency  of  his 


Bishop  Ravemcrqft.  25 

strong  nature,  to  obtain  renewed  pardon,  and  more  and  more  grace 
and  strength  to  meet  the  demands  of  his  high  and  holy  calling- 
He  was  a  constant  reader  of  the  Bible,  and  that  without  note  or 
comment.  Indeed  he  seemed  to  set  but  little  value  on  any  Com- 
mentator;  for,  to  use  his  own  expression,  "  Whenever  he  consulted 
them  in  any  difficulty,  he  found  that  they  were  just  as  deep  in 
the  mud,  as  he  was  in  the  mire." 

To  the  poor  he  was  a  liberal  giver ;  and  so  little  did  he  care  to 
accumulate  or  even  to  save,  that  after  commencing  life  with  a  large 
fortune  he  may  be  said  to  have  died  insolvent,  inasmuch  as  the 
little  that  was  left  was  scarcely  enough  to  cover  a  security  debt 
thrown  upon  him  by  an  undeserving  friend.  His  style  of  living 
was  plain  and  simple,  and  his  house  the  abode  of  hospitality,  and 
a  second  home  to  his  Clergy.  But  whoever  sat  at  his  table  of  a 
Sunday  had  to  be  content  with  a  cold  meal,  for  he  allowed  no 
cooking  in  his  house  on  that  day ;  not  only  from  obedience  to  the 
commandment,  but  as  he  said,  to  allow  his  servants  equal  spiritual 
privilege  with  himself.  His  dislike  to  all  unnecessary  expense  and 
display  was  strikingly  shown  in  his  directions  about  his  funeral. 
Some  time  before  his  death  he  inquired  of  a  carpenter  what  would 
be  his  price  for  a  plain  pine  coffin,  stained  black  ?  Upon  being 
answered  "  Three  dollars,"  he  then  ordered  that  just  such  a  cof- 
fin, and  none  other  should  be  prepared  for  him.  He  would  not 
even  sanction  the  show  and  expense  of  a  hearse.  In  his  will  he 
wrote :  "  Let  the  body  of  my  sulky  be  taken  off,  and  my  coffin 
placed  upon  the  shafts.  Let  my  little  horse  ;  Pleasant'  carry  me 
to  the  grave,  led  by  my  faithful  servant  'Johnson.'  Let  four  verses 
of  the  16th  Psalm  of  David  be  sung  at  my  burial ;  but  not  a 
word  be  added  to  the  Service  which  the  Church  has  appointed  for 
such  occasions;  for  that  is  too  good  for  me." 

His  last  sermon  was  preached  while  sitting  in  the  Chancel  of 
Christ's  Church,  Raleigh,  from  these  words,  "  Thou,  Lord,  in  the 
beginning  hast  laid  the  foundation  of  the  earth,  and  the  heavens 
are  the  work  of  Thy  hands.  They  shall  perish,  but  Thou  shalt 
endure  ;  they  all  shall  wax  old  as  doth  a  garment ;  and  as  a  ves- 
ture Thou  shalt  change  them,  and  they  shall  be  changed  ;  but 
Thou  art  the  same,  and  Thy  years  shall  not  fail."  Ps.  cii.  25, 
26,  27  verses. 

From  this  time  he  declined  rapidly.     The  writer,  though  living 


26  Bishop  Ravenscroft. 

fifty  miles  distant,  was  frequently  at  his  bedside ;  and  though 
grieved  at  the  thought  of  soon  losing  so  loving  a  friend  and  father, 
was  comforted  at  seeing  that  Death  had  for  him  no  terror,  and 
the  grave  was  looked  to  only  as  a  resting  place.  When  the  writer 
was  about  to  leave  him,  two  days  before  his  death,  he  took  his 
hand  and  said,  "  My  dear  father,  you  have  served  God  faithfully, 
and  I  feel  sure  therefore,  that  nothing  is  allowed  to  obscure  your 
view  of  the  inheritance  provided  for  you."  His  answer  was,  "  Not 
a  cloud,  sir,  not  a  cloud." 

The  writer  will  here,  in  conclusion,  introduce  one  mqre  incident 
in  connection  with  the  Bishop's  last  illness.  His  disease  was  of 
a  nature  to  unstring  his  whole  nervous  system,  and  produce  an  im- 
patience and  irritability  utterly  unknown  to  him  when  in  health. 
He  would  become  strangely  excited  from  the  slightest  cause ;  but 
the  feeling  would  pass  away  as  quickly  as  it  came,  followed  by 
an  acknowledgment  of  his  weakness  and  an  humble  request  to  be 
forgiven.  It  should  here  be  mentioned  that  previous  to  his  last 
sickness,  he  had  promised  to  leave  a  portion  of  his  sermons  to  be 
published  for  the  benefit  of  the  Diocesan  Missionary  Society.  He 
had  also  in  his  will  directed  his  Executor  to  burn  every  manu- 
script of  whatsoever  kind  that  was  not  marked  for  publication. 
Whilst  in  this  unnerved  state,  and  fast  approaching  his  end  it 
was  greatly  feared  that  he  had  forgotten  to  mark  those  sermons, 
or  else  that  he  had  not  sufficient  strength  to  do  it.  Here  was  in- 
deed a  painful  quandary ;  for  unless  this  was  done,  his  Executor, 
then  present,  declared  that  he  would  literally  comply  with  the 
Bishop's  will  by  destroying,  the  day  after  his  death,  every  scrap 
of  his  pen,  including  of  course,  all  his  sermons. 

In  order  to  save  this  treasure  to  the  Diocese  and  to  the  Church 
at  large,  the  writer  was  requested  to  approach  the  dying  Bishop 
on  that  subject.  It  was  a  truly  painful  undertaking  to  him,  know- 
ing as  he  did  his  extreme  irritability  as  well  as  great  bodily  weak- 
ness ;  but  the  occasion  demanded  it. 

Though  the  greatest  caution  was  used  in  broaching  the  subject, 
the  effect  upon  the  poor  Bishop  was  truly  distressing.  For  a  few 
moments  his  nervous  excitement  seemed  as  if  it  would  extinguish 
the  last  lingering  spark  of  life.  The  scene  was  as  painful  then, 
as  it  is  indescribable  now  ;  for  the  writer  really  feared  that  he 
had  given    the  death-blow  to  his  beloved    friend    and  father  in 


f  Bishop  HaveJiscroft.  27 

God.  It  -was  not  long  however,  before  this  strange  paroxysm  be- 
gan to  subside.  Then  followed  a  scene  of  a  different  character. 
When  the  heaving  of  his  breast  was  settling  down,  like  the  swell 
of  the  ocean  after  a  storm,  in  a  voice  scarcely  audible  he  said,  to 
the  writer  who  stood  weeping  at  some  distance  from  the  bed.  "  My 
son,  come  here,  come  here  ;  come  closer ;  Oh  forgive  your  old  fa- 
ther; forgive  him  ;  he  is  not  himself;  he  is  nothing  but  a  child; 
you  know  that  he  loves  you,  and  would  not  willfully  give  you  the 
slightest  pain."  He  then  said,  "  Kneel  down  ;  put  your  head  lower  ; 
lower  still."  When  it  at  last  rested  on  the  bedside  his  uplifted  hands 
fell  upon  it,  and  pressing  with  all  his  little  remaining  strength,  he 
poured  forth,  upon  that  head  a  stream  of  blessing,  far  exceeding 
that  which  good  old  Jacob  showered  upon  all  his  sons.  At  this 
moment  those  hands  still  seem  to  press  the  writer's  head ;  and 
whatever  favor,  either  from  God  or  man  may  since  have  come 
upon  him  he  willingly  ascribes  in  good  part,  to  the  benedictions  of 
that  dying  hour. 

He  was  subsequently  informed  that  in  a  short  time  after  he  had 
left  the  room  the  Bishop  said  to  his  servant,  "  Johnson,  Prop 
me  up  in  my  bed;  give  me  my  pencil;  bring  me  that  box; 
knock  off  the  lid,  and  hand  me  my  sermons  one  by  one."  He 
then,  in  that  weak  and  almost  unconscious  state,  glanced  merely 
at  the  subject  or  text  of  each,  and  put  a  cross  mark  on  such  as  he 
was  willing  to  leave  behind  him. 

This  rather  tedious  narration  may  appear  needless  to  many, 
but  it  is  not  without  its  bearing  on  the  reputation  of  Bishop 
Ravenscroft.  For  among  the  sermons  thus  marked  by  his  dying 
hand,  and  contained  in  the  first  edition  of  his  works  were  dis- 
covered by  the  Publisher  two  discourses,  with  some  slight  altera- 
tions, by  a  distinguished  Divine  of  England.  How  they  came  to 
be  thus  found  among  the  Bishop's  own  sermons  may  be  accounted 
for  in  the  following  manner. 

While  a  Candidate  for  Orders  he  acted  as  Lay-Reader  for  the 
benefit  of  his  neighbors.  Finding  that  they  were  strongly  prej- 
udiced against  sermons  read  out  of  a  printed  volume,  but  were 
willing  to  tolerate  them  in  the  manuscript  form,  with  the  view  of 
removing  that  objection,  he  copied,  with  his  own  hand,  a  few  of  the 
same  sermons,  making  such  alterations  and  omissions  as  would 
better  adapt  them  to  the  capacity  and  circumstances  of  the  con- 


28  Bishop  Ravenscroft. 

gregation.  These  sermons,  being  in  the  same  hand-writing  with 
the  others,  labeled  in  like  manner,  and  unintentionally  thrown 
into  the  same  box  might,  very  naturally  and  excusably,  be  mistaken 
for  his  own,  when,  as  we  have  just  seen,  under  extreme  prostration 
both  of  mind  and  body,  he  undertook,  by  a  mere  glance  at  their 
texts  or  titles,  to  make  the  intended  selection. 

With  this  statement,  unnecessary  as  it  may  appear  to  those  who 
knew  him,  the  writer  closes  this  tribute  of  affection,  written  less 
with  ink  than  out  of  the  wellings  of  a  fond  heart,  and  extended 
far  beyond  what  was  first  designed.  The  interest  of  his  subject 
has  led  him  on  insensibly  from  one  pleasant  reminiscence  to  an- 
other. His  once  idolized  Diocesan  has  seemingly  stood  before 
him  in  that  mingling  of  grandeur  and  lovableness  which  were 
ever  contending  for  mastery  in  his  true  character.  May  he,  from 
the  Paradise  of  the  blessed,  forgive  his  son,  if  he  has  said  any- 
thing of  him  but  the  truth.  While  making  this  feeble  offering  to 
his  memory  the  writer  can  truly  say,  after  the  manner  of  Bishop 
Home,  that  the  hours  flew  swiftly  by ;  he  was  loth  to  obey  the 
calls  to  both  rest  and  food;  his  subject  grew  upon  him  with  an 
absorbing  and  almost  painful  interest  to  the  very  last ;  and  he 
only  sorrowed,  when  he  found  that  his  work  was  done. 


